Oliver 25 Tractor Information

[Crazy Horse]

I've done some looking on the web and can find a wee bit of info on Oliver 25's. Sounds like they might be the same tractor as a model 70 used for airport tug use ..... so Oliver Airport 25's. Can't find much more than this. Can anyone else shed any info on these? I know a guy that says he has a model 25 but it doesn't appear to resemble a model 70 from his description over the phone ...... I haven't seen it and will try to get a photo. Thanks for the help ...

 

[r.w.b.]

Might be lika a viaw case,no resemblance to a va series case,never seen a 25 but surely some escaped the nasty scrap opps recycle yard.
When i had a truck leased to a scrap yard,i seen lots of decent looking tractors,machinery andtrucks just shredded. Several old parts i needed.and when they were weighed no buy from scrapyard

 

[scootergmc]

From everything I've gathered, there should be no pads on the frame and the serial tag should denote 25.

 

[Crazy Horse]

OK Scooter, thanks for the reply ...... you say "no pads" on the frame. Not sure what you are referring to.

 

[scootergmc]

I'm referring to the squarish mounts cast into the frame, used for mounting equipment, like a cultivator bar, etc.

 

[scootergmc]

If you can get ahold of C.H. Wendel's Oliver book, I believe he has a picture of a 25 next to a 70. I don't have one handy at the moment.

 

[Crazy Horse]

Ah, now I know what you refer to. And I think I know someone with that book. Thanks,

 

[rrlund]

Google's our friend.

 

[scootergmc]

Google is a friend, but that one pictured has frame pads. I dunno.

 

[rrlund]

It's a low seat like an orchard too.

 

[scootergmc]

I seem to recall a conversation whereby someone took a 25 engine (tag indicated) and swapped it into a 70 industrial frame (with pads) and claiming it as a 25. That's the trouble with block mounted tags and old tractors. I believe the 25 shared the same frame as the 70 standard (no pads), but I'm just going off the top of my head at this point.

 

[scootergmc]

OK, I found a copy of an Oliver publication entitiled, [u:4e8ec2d775]Progress in Tractor Power since 1898[/u:4e8ec2d775], and the page below shows the Airport 25. It was based on the 70 Standard, and it has no frame pads. Sorry the picture is hard to see. So I'd be skeptical of anything claiming to be a 25 which has frame pads, like the one currently advertised on eBay.

 

[Brad Metcalf]

here is one not all 25s are airports

 

[Brad Metcalf]

having trouble loading pics
25 was the designation for industrials when they 1st came out 25 were thew 70s 35 were the 80s and 50 were the 90s If I rememeber right

 

[Brad Metcalf]

 

[rrlund]

Talk about a timely coincidence,the new Hart Parr Oliver Collector Magazine came today. It features industrial tractors. There's a picture of Arnold Meyer's 25 in the letters section. It has the pads on the frame.

 

[scootergmc]

I will have to check it out thanks.

 

[rrlund]

There's an old black and white picture of one sitting in front of an airplane too,but the angle that it's sitting,the front wheel is in the way and you can't see the frame.

 

[scootergmc]

I think every "Airport" 25 was based on a standard no pad frame, but I think it is possible there were other 25s that were industrial pad framed. Sherry and Jeff Hackett talk about it in their book, and make mention of several 70s labeled as 25s, but have a 70 serial tag. The airport 25 were indicated by serial tag, had the automatic coupler rear, front drawbar, no PTO, foot gas pedal, and platform fenders. I'm assuming that's the closest to the truth.

 

[rrlund]

I started reading that feature article in HPOC. There's a paragraph on the Airport 25. It doesn't come right out and say that they're different from the Industrial 25,but if you read between the lines,it could be interpreted that way.

It say in part:

"You may also have seen a rare Airport 25. I stress the word rare since the Airport 25 isn't found in a lot of collections. I have not been able to locate a definite number of these produced at the present time. These tractors are very similar to a model 70 Standard. However when looked at more closely,you can see there are differences. The main purpose of these tractors was moving airplanes in and out of hangers and around airports generally. They were equipped with an automatic coupler hitch on the drawbar and you could get an optional snatch block or 'rope towing pulley' on the drawbar.".

 

[scootergmc]

And that quote nearly matches the book. They liken the Airport to the standard, which had no pads, and not the industrial, which did.

 

[rrlund]

Ya,the previous paragraph to that refers to the Industrial as having threaded holes for mounting accessories.